Abstract: A fluid dynamic bearing formed by a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) wafer-level batch-fabrication process is provided. The process results in a high performance and high reliability fluid dynamic bearing having features including higher bearing lifetime at high RPM, improved bearing stiffness, durability and thrust/restoring forces capabilities. The present invention is especially useful with small form factor disc drive memory devices having constraints in motor height, such as a 2.5 inch disc drive, requiring high performance including high rotational speed and large areal density. A sacrificial layer is utilized in the process to simultaneously form symmetrical facing surfaces of relatively rotatable components. The facing surfaces define, therebetween, a desired feature, such as a journal bearing, a thrust bearing, a fluid channel, a fluid reservoir, a capillary seal, pressure generating grooves, and other profile geometries.

Abstract: A transducer-level microactuator selectively positions a transducer portion of a slider radially with respect to circumferential data tracks of a rotatable disc. The slider includes a slider body having a leading edge and a trailing edge, a transducer body and a flexure body. The transducer body is spaced from the trailing edge of the sliding body and includes at least one transducer element. The flexure body extends from the trailing edge of the slider body and includes a first anchor point connected to the slider body and a second anchor point connected to the transducer body. The basecoat layer is deposited on the trailing edge of the slider body and substantially surrounds the flexure body wherein a gap separates the flexure body from the basecoat. A first actuation assembly is formed on the basecoat and a second actuation assembly is formed on the transducer body adjacent the slider body.

Abstract: A method is used for fabricating sliders for use in a disc drive actuation system, the sliders having bonds pads formed on either a top surface or side faces of the slider. The method comprises providing a substrate having a top surface. Trenches are formed in the substrate and filled with a bond pad material to form slider bond pads. Excess bond pad material is removed from the trenches such that the slider bond pads are flush with the top surface of the substrate. A transducer is fabricated on the top surface of the substrate. Finally, the slider bond pads are exposed.

Abstract: A head having micro-positioning control. The head includes a slider body and a transducer body coupled to the slider body through a flexible interface. The transducer body is spaced from the slider body to form a gap therebetween. Micro-positioning actuators are coupled to the transducer body in the gap to provide micro-positioning control. In an embodiment for an air bearing slider, the gap includes off-track and fly height positioning control.

Abstract: An integrated interface structure for a nested body to provide an electrical connection. The interface structure includes nested bond pads which electrically interface with leads. The nested bond pads are fabricated on a microstructure to provide an interface to drive circuitry for transducer elements of a slider or head supported by the microstructure.

Abstract: A micromechanical assembly couples to a positioning member and to a body having an aerodynamic surface subject to aerodynamic forces. The micromechanical assembly comprises a substrate including a flexible beam joining a first substrate portion that is attachable to the positioning member to a second substrate portion that is attachable to the body. The substrate includes a substrate surface extending at least over the flexible beam. A lithographic pattern is formed on the substrate surface. The lithographic pattern includes at least a first impedance element that senses flexing of the flexible beam. Contact pads are coupled to the lithographic pattern for coupling to a flex measurement circuit.

Abstract: An electrical feedthrough assembly for establishing an electrical connection path through an aperture in a side wall of a housing, and a method of fabrication thereof. The feedthrough assembly comprises a plate and at least one electrical contact which extends through the plate. Preferably, a heating member is further provided to extend along a circumference of the plate. The plate is sized to span and surround the aperture so that, upon generation of heat by the heating member, at least one ring of sealing material adjacent the heating member flows to establish a seal between the plate and the housing wall surrounding the aperture. The heat is preferably generated by applying current to the heating member. The feedthrough assembly is preferably fabricated using a microfabrication process. A batch fabrication operation is preferably employed so that a population of the plates are formed from a single panel and subsequently separated therefrom.

Abstract: A read/write head microactuator includes first and second insulating deposits that are flat, spaced apart by an air gap, and laterally movable responsive to a microactuator electrical drive current. First and second flat, interdigitated drive electrode deposits are deposited on the first insulating deposit. A flat, digitated sense electrode deposit is deposited on the second insulating deposit. The sense electrode deposit provides a relative position output. The sense electrode deposit faces both the drive electrode deposits across the air gap.

Abstract: A slider for carrying and finely adjusting both a radial position and a flying height of a transducing head with respect to a track of a rotatable disc includes a stator portion carried by a support structure such as a flexure of a disc drive system. A plurality of springs extend from the stator portion and are flexible in a lateral direction (for radial positioning) and in a vertical direction (for flying height control). A rotor portion is connected to the stator portion by the plurality of springs. The rotor portion carries the transducing head. The stator portion includes a plurality of stator electrodes, and the rotor portion includes a plurality of rotor electrodes suspended between the stator electrodes. Selected voltages are applied to the stator electrodes and the rotor electrodes to create a selected force in the lateral and vertical directions for moving the rotor portion with respect to the stator portion to finely adjust the radial position and flying height of the transducing head.

Abstract: A method of handling a wafer for through-wafer plasma etching includes lateral support provided between a handle wafer and a product wafer without wafer bonding or an adhesive film using mating mechanical structures. The product wafer is easily separated from the handle wafer following etching without stripping or cleaning. Because the connection between the wafers is mechanical, not from an adhesive layer/bonded layer, a wafer can be etched, inspected, and subsequently continue to be etched without the hindrance of repeated bonding, separation, and cleaning. A non-bonded support for released devices following a through-etch process is also provided.

Abstract: A method of improving the robustness of microcomponents formed of silicon by armor coating the microcomponent with a ductile material, such as a metal. The armored coating may comprise either partial armored coating or total armored coating. Providing the microcomponent with an armored coating reduces chipping and breaking, and likewise reduces contamination problems which arise from chips and breaks.

Abstract: A slider assembly is operable to selectively alter a position of a transducing head with respect to a track of a rotatable disc having a plurality of concentric tracks. The slider assembly includes a slider wafer arranged to be supported by a disc drive support structure. A stator is bonded to the slider wafer, with the stator including at least one electrode. A rotor is bonded to the stator, with the rotor having a frame portion bonded to the stator and a head-carrying portion attached to the frame portion by a flexible beam structure. The head-carrying portion of the rotor carries the transducing head, supports at least one rotor electrode adjacent to the at least one stator electrode, and is movable with respect to the frame portion of the rotor in response to a voltage difference between the at least one rotor electrode and the at least one stator electrode.

Abstract: A microactuator is built at the slider level to achieve high resolution positioning of a transducing head with respect to a track of a rotatable disc having a plurality of concentric tracks in a disc drive system. The slider includes a main body carried by a flexure. A stator portion extends from the main body, and a plurality of beams extend from the stator portion, the beams being flexible in a lateral direction. A rotor portion is connected to the stator portion by the plurality of beams, forming a gap between the stator portion and the rotor portion. The rotor portion carries the transducing head. A plurality of stator electrodes are formed on the stator portion, and a plurality of rotor electrodes are formed on the rotor portion to confront the stator electrodes across the gap.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated coil-on-keeper assembly for use in a magnetic circuit to actuate a microactuator. The assembly is formed on a keeper substrate by patterning an insulator layer, plating at least one coil layer and patterning another insulator layer on top of each coil layer. The keeper substrate is etched to form the top keeper of the coil-on-keeper assembly.

Abstract: A transducer assembly in which an electric current is passed through plating solution in recesses of a metal substrate to plate electrical contact bumps having bump fronts in the recesses and exposed bump backs. The transducer is partially formed on the substrate, sealing the exposed bump backs. One or more vacuum processes are performed to complete formation of the transducer. At least a portion of the metal substrate is etched away to expose the bump fronts of the electrical contact bumps.

Abstract: A disc drive has a disc rotatable about an axis, a slider carrying a transducing head for transducing data with a disc, and a dual stage actuation assembly supporting the slider to position the transducing head adjacent a selected radial track of the disc. The dual stage actuation assembly includes a movable actuator arm and a suspension assembly supported by the actuator arm. The suspension assembly includes a gimbal. The dual stage actuation assembly further includes a microactuator. The microactuator includes a stator having a top surface and a bottom surface wherein the gimbal is connected to the top surface of the stator. A rotor is operatively connected to the stator and the rotor supports the slider. A magnetic keeper structure is supported by the stator such that the rotor moves with respect to the magnetic keeper structure.

Abstract: A method for filling a trench extending through a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device patterned on a wafer is disclosed. The method involves simultaneously depositing a trench-fill layer of insulating material over a first side of the wafer, over a second side of the wafer, and into the trench extending from the first side to the second side. Further, the width of the trench at the first side of the wafer and/or the second side of the wafer is variable to adjust the rate at which the trench fills.

Abstract: A disc drive system includes a recording disc rotatable about an axis, a slider carrying a transducing head for transducing data with the disc, an a dual-stage actuation assembly supporting the slider for positioning the transducing head adjacent a selected radial track of the disc. The dual-stage actuation assembly includes a coarsely movable support structure and a microactuator. The microactuator includes a microactuator frame attached to the support structure which includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor is operatively attached to the slider an is movable with respect to the stator in a first horizontal plane parallel to the surface of the disc. A magnetic circuit is arranged to move the microactuator rotor and the slider in the first horizontal plane generally parallel to the surface of the disc, the circuit being partially formed on the microactuator frame and partially formed on the support structure.

Abstract: A head suspension assembly for a slider tester is provided, which includes a socket that is coupled to a gimbal and load beam. The assembly also includes an electrical interconnect. The socket is adapted to releasably secure a slider and to electrically couple the electrical interconnect to the slider.

Abstract: Utilizing reactive ion etching (RIE) lag, tethers are fabricated that reliably hold devices in place during processing and storage, yet are easily broken to remove the parts from the wafer as desired, without requiring excessive force that could damage the devices. The tethers are fabricated by slightly narrowing the periphery etch feature at several places. By adjusting the ratio of the main periphery width to the necked width at the tethers, the final thickness of the tether can be controlled to a small fraction of the wafer thickness, so that tethers defined by readily achievable feature sizes will reliably hold the parts in place until removal is desired. Since the tethers are now only a fraction of the wafer thickness, they will reliably break to release the part at a force level that will not damage the part.